Delayed-action electric exploder.



R. L. OLIVER. 1 DELAYED ACTION ELEGTRIG` BXPLODER.

AI'YLIGATION FILED JUNE Z2, 1909.

Fatented Apr. 12, 1910.

WITNESASES.'

(DGM/OJ i, .UNTED STATESv PATENT @EFEQEG f ROLAND L. OLIVER, or OAKLAND,CALIFORNIA, AssIGNOI; ro CALIFORNIA CAP COM PA'NY, or SAN FRANCISCO,CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION or CALIFORNIA.

i OELYEIi-ACTION ELECTRIC ,EXPLODER Specification of Letters Patent.

To yall. whom Iit may concern:

n, Be 1t known that I, ROLAND L. OLIVER, a citizen of the United States,residing at ,Oaklamh ,in ythe County of Alameda and State'ot-California,have invented certain new and useful linirovements in Delayedn ,ActionElectric Exp odors, ot which the foll llowing isV a Specification.

`lily invention relates to that classl ot' electrie-cxploders forblasting charges. in which a del`ay-action tnse 1s interposed between@the primer 'and the detonator.

The object of this type of exploders is to temible lall, the primers ofthe exploders to be simultaneously tired' bv one electrical imxpnlsdandvet have ditl'erent predetermined groups of exploders go otlsuccessively-vac` cording to the prearranged times of their delay-actionfuses.' rThis has many advantageous results ivliich are novr'wellrecognized and need no discussionhere.

@Briefly stated thc objects of my invenltion are, to' insure the uniformcombustion LOt the delay-action fuse; to prevent undue compression ofthe gaseous products of coni' "bastion which might result in prematureex-Y pl o'sion; to provide against any spark diately prweding;-and otherobjects which.

reaching the detonator except lirougli the combustion of thedelay-action fuse; to proyvide against any disturbance of the positionof the later exploders in the blasting charges, dueto the possibledisarrangement ot the electric-wires by debris from blasts unmewill`hereinafter appear.

l My invention consists, therefore, in certain novel constructions andarrangements o'l the explodcr which l shall now fnllydescribebyreference to the accompanying drawings in wliich Figure l is alongitudinal section, partly Vin elevation, of my delayedactionelectricproviding, iii-the main body o" the shell, a

relatively eapa-cious air-chamber, designated by l; secondxot providing,by the tapering portion, a guide for the entrance of and 'a seat for theigniter-plug 5; and, third, by

its reduced end, serving to receive and hold the tube 6, Awhich :termsthe other partof the inclosing casing and which contains the primer 7,the delay-action fuse 8) and the detonating composition 9, in the ordernamed.

p Patented Apr. i2, g, Application filed June 22, 1969. Serial No. tifl.

f The inner end of Vthe igniter-plug 5, coni forms in general shape tolthat portion of the shell which surrounds it, but is not seated verytightly, so that it may be readily dislodged as l shall presently pointout.

l0 is a closure for the shell 1, which may be a cap, or it may be aplug, as here shown,v

said closure, of whatever forni, being not too tightly fitted to theshell, so that it, too, may

be readily dislodged.

1l are tlieleading wires from suitable source of electric impulse. Thesewires pass in through the plug l0, and through the i ruiter-plug fromthe inner end of which tiey project and carry the usual bridge 12 whichis in contact with the primer 7. The primer 7 is of some material whichwill serve the double purpose o igniting the delayaction fuse 8 and ofsutciently rapid com bastion to effect by its ex losion the dislodgmentof the igniter-p ug 5 and the closure-plug 10. Fibrous gun-cotton isfound to well serve for the primer.

The delz'iy-action fuse 8 is one which. lia-s a body or covering ot'some suiiieiently com pres-sible water-proof material or composition, tomake :i tight tltin the tube 6 which contains it, said body having arelatively 'simili core xii'.`})o\\'ileif designated by 13, vwherebythcre'ivill be the minimum amountof gaseous products Ct' combustion.What is known as tape-fuse Well answerstlie purpose. y

Be fore describing the Operation of my en ploder, with respect to itsseveral improvemonts, it may be well to state that, as usual.

with devices ot, this general class, someeir1 plodei's will have a.delay-action fuse of one time; others will have fuses of another time',

others 'of still another time, and so on. 'lhoseof one 'time will be setin blasting charges o one group o holes; those ot anw other time in osecond group Ot holes;v and so forth, according to accepted practice.All the exploders will be, as usual, connected l by their wires with asingle source of electric energy, so that a single impulse willlsimultaneously ignite the primers of all. But those with fuses ofshortest time will explode first, and those with fuses of longest l timewill explode last.

Now returning to my improved exploder, its operation is as'followszT-Theelectric eireuit being closed, the bridge l2 of the igniter becomesheated and fires the primer 7. This instantly sets fire to the powdercore 13 of the delay-action fuse 8, and also by its explosion, drivesback the igniter-plug 5 from its seat in the shell and also drives outthe] closure l0 from the end of the shell. By this action the wholeigniting device is so disconnected from the exploder that any pull onits wires will not affect the position of the exploder in the blastingcharge. N ow as this breaking of said connection takes placesimultaneously in all the exploders of all the groups, it follows thatthe .flying rocks and debris of the earlier blasts can have no effect,by interfering with the Wires of the delayed exploders, of-pulling themfrom their places. lfVhile this result' is one much to be desired and isapproached in .some degree by the use of groups of difterently timedexploders, the primers of which are set off by one electrical impulse,as com- I pared with the practice of separately setting ofi'ordinaryexploders by successive impulses, it, obviously, is not fullyreached, for, though all the primers of delay action cxploders are setolf' simultaneously, the blasts themselves are still, necessarily,snccessive, and the early ones will, by their debris acting on thewires,disturb the positions of the later exploders and pull them out of theirplaces. This is' entirely ob- Viatcd by my exploder, as I havedescribed.

The relatively large air-chamber 4, which is afforded by the main bodyof the shell, insures the perfect and uniform combustion of thedelay-action fuse so that there is no liability of its smoldering orgoing out. It also provides for the expansion of the gases ofcombustion, thus avoiding the danger of prematurely exploding thedetonator. Usually in exploders, the shell is tightly filled with theigniter and other parts, so that the fire is liable to besmothered, orthe confined gases will explode the detonator.

Resort is sometimes hadlto making vent holes in the shell walls, filledwith meltable material. In my construction the air-chamber in the shellis ample for the purp'ose of preventing smotherin and supportingcombustion and permitting the gases to expand; and, particularly so, inView of the use of the tape-fuse with its small core which gives theminimum amount of gaseous products. The employment of the tape-fuse withits compressible body or covering is of further advantage in affording atight, close filling of the tube G, so that no spark from the primer canreach the detonator except through the core of the fuse.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. In an electric-exploder of thedelayedaction type, an inclosing casing; a primer, delay-action fuse,and detonator in said casine; ing intosaid casing to the primer; and abreakable connection between the circuit wires of the igniter and thecasing, the parts being constructed and arranged to permit theconnection the primer to disconnect the Wires from the casing.

2. In-an electric-exploder of the delayedaction type, electric-circuitwires leading to and havinga separable connection with said exploderto'initiate its action; and means dependent upon said initial action tosimultaneously therewith disconnect said wires from the exploder.

3. In an clectric-exploder of the delayedaction type, an inclosingcasing; a delayaetion fuse and a detonator in said casing; a primertherein of gun-cotton,l electric-circuit wires with igniter, leadinginto-said easing to the primer; and a detachableconnection between thecircuit wires of the igniter and thc casing, adapted to yield to theexplosion of the primer to disconnect the wires from the casing. h

4. In an electric-exploder of the delayedaction type, aniinclosingcasing; a primer, delay-actlon fuse, and detonator in said casing;electric-circuit wires with igniter, leading into said casing to theprimer; and a carrier for said wires removably fitted t0 the easingwhereby it is adapted to yield to the explosion of the primer todisconnect itself and the wires from the casing.

5. In an electric-exploder of the delayedaction type, an inclosingcasing; a delayaction fuse, and a detonator in said casing; a primertherein of gun-cotton; electric-circuit wires with igniter, leadingcasing to the primer; and a carrier for said .Wires looselyfittcd to thecasin; whereby it is adapted to yield to the exp osion of' the primer todisconnect itself and the wires froml the casing.

6. In an elcctric-exploder of the delayedaction type, an inclosingcasing; a primer, delay-action fuse, and detonator in said casing;electric-circuit wires with igniter, lez'nding into said casing to theprimer; an t igniter plug carrying the inner ends of the into said.l

electric-circuit wires with igniter, leadto yield to the explosion of Y.action type, an ,inclosing casing orm'edat ,one end with an air'chamber,.a nd its other fwires and a closure dplug carrying said wires'into the casing, sai

` .plugs being detachably '"iitte'd tothe casing in a manner to yield to,the ex lesion of the primer to disconnect themse ves and l their wiresfrom vsaid casing.

7. In anelectric-exploder ofthe delayedi faction-'type,.'an inclosingcasing having an enlailged end;l a primer, delay-action fuse and vetonator filling the reduced end of the casing; andan electric-ignitingdevice in theenlarged end of the casing, said casing v .forminganfeiilargedfai-r-chamber at said en- .detonator in its other end; andan electric igniter in the air chamber of the casing.

9. Iii` an`electri'c-exploder of the delayedendtreduced; aprimer,`delay-'action fuse, and detonato'r inqthe reduced end; electric circuitwires withigniter, leading into said vair chamber ,to 'the primer; anigniter-plug 'inthe inner end of the air-chamber carrying the wires andigniter and a closure plug "it'tedjnjsaid chamber and adapted to yield L4to'" tlieekplosion of the primer toppen the aiiffchamber to thel gasesof combustion and 1 disc9nect`- the circuit wires from the casing.

'jdQL-fIn amfeglectric-exploder of the delayedactionitype; a casing; adetonator iny one end; `a-tape-fuse insaid end in advance of thedetonator said vfuse comprising a com- Y fgp'ressible covering ti htlyfitting the casing actioijnlsypefan inclosing, casing'formed at in its'other end; a tape-fuse' in said other end r in advanoe'oi` thedetonator,. said fuse coniv-prisinga' compressible covering tightlyiit-` .vin its vouter end lea'dingsaid-wires into thel 4:air-'- chamber,said plugs being detachably `behind the said plug, the space ting thecasing and a relatively small powder-core; a primer .in the casing inadvance of the time-fuse; and an electric-igniter in the air chamberofthe casing.

' l2'. In an electric-exploder of the .delayedaction type, an inclosingcasing formed at one' end with an air-chamber; a detonator in its otherend; a tape-fuse in the said other end in advance of the d'etonator,saidfuse comprising a compressible covering tightly itting the casingand a relatively esmall powder-core; a primer inthe casing in advance ofthe time-fuse; and an electric- `.igniter in the casing;electric-circuit wires leading to said igniter; and a connection betweensaid wires and the casing adapted to yield tothe explosion of the primerto disconnect the wires from the casing.

13. In an'electro eXploder of the action type, an inclosing casingAhaving a seat therein for loosely receiving a'removable plug, a primerand detonator below the plug, electric circuit wires with igniterconnected to said reinyovable plug andleading to the primer' and-meanswhereby the plug' with the parts carried thereby will be released fromsaid seat upon the explosion of theprimer. y

14:.- In an electro exploder of the delayedaction type, an inclosingcasing comprising an Veularlged end portipn, a reduced end portion a aconnecting portion constituting a guide and seat for a plug, a detonatorin the reduced end. of the casing, a tape fuse in said end in advance ofthe detonator, said fuse comprising a compressible covering tightlyfitting the reduced end of .the casing and a relatively small powdercore; a primer in the casing in advance of the tape fuse and in advanceenlarged air of the plug constituting an chamber.

In testimony whereof` I have signed my name to this specification in.the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

. ROLAND L. OLIVER. Witnesses: 1 Q

WM. F. Boo'ri,` D. "B. RICHARDS.

delayed-

